


summer fling don't mean a thing (but oh, those summer nights)

by satvrno



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Maggie White is Patty Simcox... but beware that Patty doesn't deserve that, More characters will show up as the fic progresses, Trigger warning for slight mentions of homophobia and language that could be considered offensive, yes this is the Grease AU y'all have been waiting for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-07 10:37:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11057199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satvrno/pseuds/satvrno
Summary: Summer loving, had me a blast / Summer loving happened so fast.Kara/Lena Grease AU.





	1. Summer Nights

**Author's Note:**

> _It turned colder, that's where it ends_   
>  _So I told her, we'd still be friends_   
>  _Then we made our true love bow_   
>  _Wonder what she's doing now._
> 
>  
> 
> _Summer dreams, ripped at the seams_  
>  _But, oh... Those summer nights._

“Kara, I don’t want the summer to be over. I might never see you again.” 

“Lena don’t talk that way.” 

“But it’s true!” Lena breaks away from the embrace and instantly misses the warmth that Kara’s strong arms provide her. But she has to, if she spends another second secured under their hug, she’ll lose her train of thought and she cannot allow it. Not now. 

The sun has started to descend and the orange rays of light hit Kara’s profile in a way Lena wishes she’d be able to cherish forever. And then it hurts again. To know that even though these past three weeks together have been nothing but perfect, it has to come to an end.

“I just had the best summer of my life and now I have to go back to Chicago. It isn’t fair.” 

Her eyes linger on the frame of Kara’s face before it becomes unbearable and she has to divert her gaze towards the sea. Waves splash slightly but compared to days prior the tide is tranquil, as if it too feels the unsmiling moment between the young lovers. Kara grabs Lena’s chin, makes her look at her again and smiles softly, reassuring her things will be alright. For a second she wants to say something, anything that will make her appear romantic but words fail whenever Lena is looking so breathtaking. So Kara does the only thing she knows how to do. 

She kisses her. 

She grabs her by the waist and kisses her hard enough to bruise. Parts her lips to taste the cherry of Lena’s lipstick and deep down she knows no flavor will ever compare. Lena kisses back, eager, lets a whimper be swallowed by Kara’s mouth until she remembers where they are and that this is a goodbye. She cannot let her hormones get in the way of a meaningful farewell, it doesn’t matter just how much she craves it as well. 

She’s a Luthor. She’s not supposed to show such things. Mother has taught her to be a proper young lady. Legs closed, no makeup, no piercings. She’s to maintain that pure image that every lady before her has kept. 

And it pains her, God it does, to step away even when Kara keeps searching for contact, but she can’t. She doesn’t know how to. 

“Kara, don’t spoil it!”

It’s only then, when Kara hears her, breathless and desperate, that she opens her eyes and her expression softens as well as the grip on Lena’s hip.

“It’s not spoiling it… It’s only making it better.” 

There’s a moment of silence between the two of them. Lena’s heart is breaking. 

“Is this the end?” 

“Of course not,” Kara refuses to believe that it is. That this is the last time she’s going to see Lena. She refuses to let her go. “It’s only the beginning.” 

And although she doesn’t quite believe her own words, the smile that Lena offers her is enough to make her trust. They will make it work. 

Somehow.

* * *

“Wow, wow! Alexandra Danvers, the one and only.” James puts an arm over the smaller girl’s shoulders which earns him a glare that he decides to ignore, they haven’t seen each other in weeks, she’ll have to take the affection. “Where were you all summer?” 

“I was working which is more than any of you dawdlers can say.” 

“Working?” Winn quickly chimes in, tripping over his feet and almost dropping his guitar case to the floor.

“Yeah, I got a job lugging boxes downtown.”

“Oh, that’s a nice job.” James replies in a mocking tone and Alex punches him slightly in the ribs. “Hey that hurts!”

“Cry me a river! I am saving up for a new set of wheels.” 

“You got ‘em yet?” 

“I’m picking them up next week. Put a little speed shine on it and Mike and the Scorpions are gonna eat my dust.”

“Where is your sister, by the way?”

“I have no idea. She got up early this morning and left without even touching her cereal.” 

“She got a job moving boxes too? Perhaps she’s still trapped inside the warehouse.” Barry talks at last, and how he wishes he didn’t because as soon as he opens his mouth Alex is smacking the back of his head. “Ouch!”

“Eat me.” 

“Over there! Hey Kara!” Winn is the first to notice her, slumped against the lockers, charming smile, talking to one of the girls in their biology class. Winn is certain she probably doesn’t even know her name. 

Which, judging by the way she dismisses the poor girl’s existence, is right. With a little hop on each her steps she gets to the gang and laughs excitedly along with all of them, hugging, kissing and even jokingly pushing James out of her way. Call her sentimental, this is her family. It’s messy, and sure, half the time they spend it screaming and making messes in the hallways, but she wouldn’t change it for the world. 

“Your sister was just telling us about her magnificent job.” Alex rolls her eyes. “What did you do? I leave one week for Montreal and suddenly y’all disappear.”

“Don’t be such a wimp, Jimmy. I was down at the beach, life guarding and whatnot.”

“Oh, yeah.” Barry gets closer to the blonde, lets his head fall onto her shoulder and bats his eyelashes at her. “It must be tough with all those chicks hanging around ya.” 

“Barry cannot relate since the only thing that hangs around him are the flies.” 

“Very funny, Winn.” He hopes no one notices just how red his cheeks are. “You ever gonna learn how to play that thing?” His knee hits the guitar case and suddenly all eyes are plastered on Winn who gasps in offense. 

No one knows if it’s legitimate or merely a joke. 

“I’ve been practicing! I already know three chords, you wanna hear?” 

Excitedly he reaches for the first buckle but everyone is yelling no and groaning before he can even do something else and sighs defeated. He really has been practicing! Up to the point where her mother had to take the guitar away because, in her own words: It was giving her a terrible migraine.

“Kara, tell us.” Jimmy crosses his arms over his chest and raises his eyebrows suggestively. “How was the action down at the beach?”

“You know, as much as we all are friends, she’s still my little sister and there are certain details I’d rather not hear.”

“Little sister. Only by two months!” Kara pushes Alex. “It was _flippin’_.”

“Yeah? Was it crazy?”

“Yeah… I mean, I did meet this one chick, she was…” 

Lena is suddenly flooding all her memories, various scenes of the warm days of summer that were witnesses of their fleeting love. 

She remembers the first time they met oin that ice cream parlor. She was wearing high waisted aqua shorts and a bright red t-shirt and Kara didn’t know what came over her to buy her a milkshake, let alone share it. She remembers Lena’s giggle, her blush when Kara told her she thought her to be the prettiest woman in all of National City. She remembers Lena telling her how she was a tourist, spending her vacations on the beach with her mother and father, the promise of showing her Chicago someday because, allegedly, over in Metropolis the chocolate shakes were better. 

Kara remembers saying yes. 

What brings her back to reality is Alex’s confused stare. It’s like a punch in the stomach. Alex is not only her sister, she’s her best friend. Ever since she got adopted by the Danvers, they’ve been inseparable. Telling each other everything, sharing clothes, staying awake till midnight watching horror films together. To make a gang along with their best friends was only an excuse to get matching leather jackets without looking like complete assholes. Kara wanted to tell her everything about Lena, she really did. But between Alex working and getting home to talk trash about her boss, she never found the perfect timing. 

Not to mention, Kara still didn’t have idea on how to break it off to her. She has a reputation at Rydell, one she’s worked hard to build. She’s the carefree womanizer that spends most her time down the terraces with a pair of sunglasses and a beer. It might not be the best one, but it helps her appear unreachable. People don’t talk to her out of fear, they don’t get close enough and by that, they also don’t hurt her. She’s had a rough life as it is, after losing her parents due to a fire. Only two years later to lose her aunt. Kara doesn’t deal well with loss, nor does she want to learn how to. It’s easier this way. 

She clears her throat. “She was sorta cool.” 

“You mean she puts out?!” Barry asks and she doesn’t know why it hurts to hear her friend talk about Lena like that, especially since Kara herself has been terrible enough to say similar things. 

“Is that all you ever think about?” She replies as collected as she can. Alex is still staring at her, puzzled. 

Barry is about to apologize, he notices the blonde’s discomfort, when the click of heels make all of them stop right in their tracks. Alex grabs Kara’s hand and walks to the other side of the hall, avoiding the cold gaze that follows them until they are far enough. Winn pretends to be fascinated with James’ schedule and how the taller man talks about how excited he is to have Snapper as his history teacher. Barry freezes. He was too slow...

“Mister Allen.” Her voice is never loud, she talks in an endearing tone that would be able to fool anyone. Anyone except for, of course, the Rydell students. “Shouldn’t you be in homeroom by now?”

“Yes, Miss Grant.”

“Good. Because I still have seventeen years to retirement and I’d love to see you leave Rydell before I do.” Barry feels his ears get hot. “Well then? Are you just going to stand there all day?”

“Yes ma’am… I mean no! No ma’am.”

“Good. Chop chop! And get your little gang with you. I’d much rather not see any of you on the halls. You’ll scare the freshmen.” 

Cat turns on her heels and it’s not until she’s out of sight that Alex and Kara come running towards the scene again. Winn and James are already laughing their asses off and Barry wants to punch all of them… Perhaps later.

“You remember what you said last year, brother?” Jimmy asks him, biting the inside of his cheek to stop more laughter from coming up his throat. “How you weren’t going to take any of Miss Grant’s crap on your last year of high school?” 

Barry crinkles his nose. 

“I’m sure glad you followed through and didn’t take any of her crap!” 

They all cackle. Barry wants Earth to swallow him on the spot.

* * *

“I swear this place gets uglier every time I see it.” Lucy sways her hips seductively as she climbs the stairs to the front door. “It’s the first day and it already smells like… Broken dreams and deception.” 

“This is a high school, honey.” Iris says, looking down at her boobs, making sure everything’s in place. “Of course it smells like that. Not for us though! We’re seniors now…”

“And we’re going to rule the school.” 

“Ew! Eve those twinkies are _so_ adolescent.”

“We are adolescent.” 

“You don’t have to scream it for everyone to know. God damn, where is Siobhan, we’re gonna be late!”

“Well, wherever she is, she’s going to have to catch up with us at lunch. I am not going to be late and have Miss Grant take me to her office.” 

Lucy looks back one last time, sees no trail of Siobhan and shrugs. She puts on her sunglasses and fixes the pink jacket over her shoulders. From the corner of her eye she can see Iris and Eve doing the same and she smiles. There’s no better impression than a first impression. That’s one of her multiple mottos. 

“Alright girls, let’s go get ‘em.” 

The bell sounds and soon enough Rydell’s hallways are in solitude. The only thing that can be heard over the loud speakers playing the school’s anthem is the click of Siobhan’s shoes that climb the stairs as quickly as her feet allow her to, she’s already late! And Snapper has never been forgiving when coming late to class. Stupid crashed car! She takes a minute to regain her breath before walking down where room 307 is, but just as she’s about to continue, her purse snaps open and makeup falls to the ground. 

“Oh, fudge!” 

She gets on her knees, her anxiety making it hard to collect everything. 

“Am I late?!” Siobhan hears another voice say from the end of the hall. She raises her head to watch an unknown face walking towards her. “Am I going to get in trouble?! I didn’t know where to catch the bus so I ended up walking. I’m from Chicago.” 

The girl has dark hair that cascades down her shoulders, a cute pink ribbon tied in one of her wrists and a matching skirt that gets under her knees. Her cheeks are flushed but what gets Siobhan to feel drawn to her is the kindness behind her green eyes. She doesn’t know this chick yet, but she knows she’ll like her. 

“That’s one hell of a walk!” Siobhan says and the girl laughs, gets on her knees beside her and helps her pick the multiple thrown lipsticks.

“My family and I just moved here, I’m Lena by the way.”

“Siobhan Smythe. Welcome to Rydell!”

“I know we just met, but could you maybe tell me where room 307 is?”

Siobhan smiles. 

“307, that’s where I’m headed! Mister Carr.”

“Oh, is he nice?”

“Yeah. He teaches history, but mostly he just sits in the corner and smokes.” 

Lena’s already white cheeks get even paler. They stand up at the same time and Siobhan takes the opportunity to intertwine their fingers together. At the contact Lena flinches, she certainly wasn’t expecting that but it feels… Nice. To know at least she’s not alone on her first day at the new school. Last time she moved it took her at least a month to make new friends. Maybe this is the divine sign that the year won’t suck. 

“I have a feeling I’m not in Illinois anymore.” Lena lowers her gaze, biting her lower lip.

“You’ll love it.” Siobhan says giving her a reassuring squeeze. 

She sure hopes so.

* * *

The xylophone breaks through the speakers and both Danvers sisters groan at the same time.

“Good morning boys and girls and welcome to Rydell. I’m not sure yet if this year’s seniors will be the best class of the decade, but at least you’ll be the last. So, let’s start off the class of 1959’s final year on a high note.”

Miss Morzz leaves the chalk atop of her desk and rolls her eyes. What is it with principal Grant always picking up the worst times to make her annual welcome speech? She looks over at each student and glares towards Alex who, for some reason, keeps poking the dissected frog in front of her. Four more years… Four more years and she’ll be finally free. 

“For a few short announcements: We have a new rocket club starting off for our space enthusiasts lead by our own Maxwell Lord. Next Friday will be our first pep rally and everyone knows you can’t have pep without cheer! So don’t forget to sign up for cheerleading, girls, unless, of course, you’ve had a previous head injury. I want to see plenty of support for coach Henshaw and the Rydell Rangers. Remember, if you can’t be an athlete, be an athletic supporter!” 

Kara has to bite her tongue and hide her face on James’ shoulder to remain quiet at the absurdity. Miss Morzz glares again.

“And finally, the National Bandstand television show is considering Rydell as a representative American high school to broadcast live from our gym. If chosen we will have the chance to show the entire nation what bright, clean cut, wholesome students we have here at Rydell.” 

Kara cannot hold the laughter any longer and along with her sister and James, they chuckle. 

“Good luck to us all.” Miss Grant cuts the transmission off but the silence doesn’t last long. 

A scream in room 209 bounces off every wall in the school, followed by Susan Vasquez running outside and throwing to the air a dissected frog that she had just found lying inside her backpack. Alex high fives James.

Four more years, Miss Morzz thinks to herself while rubbing her temples. Four more miserable and tiring years. Thank God this is the Danvers’ last semester.

* * *

“Hey you guys!” Eve says, hitting Iris in the arm with a rolled up magazine. “I just saw Kara walking towards the football field and damn, she’s looking fine this year.” The blonde smirks Lucy’s way. “Eh, Luce?”

“That’s ancient history.”

“Well, sometimes history repeats itself.” Iris, who is still rubbing the spot where Eve hit her says absentmindedly. “I should’ve asked my dad to make me a sandwich, this mortadella looks gross.”

“Were you expecting anything else from this place’s cafeteria? It all looks gross. Here, have one of my twinkies.”

“Over my dead body, Eveline!” 

“Hey girls!” Siobhan, with Lena right beside her, greets everyone with a smile. “This here is Lena Luthor… Have a seat honey, we don’t bite.”

“Unless you’re into that kind of thing,” Lucy tilts her head to the side, raising a curious eyebrow. 

“This here is Iris. Eve, that over there is Lucy. Lena just moved here all the way from Chicago, Illinois.” 

“Illinois, huh? Believe me it just goes downhill from here.”

Lena swallows. She feels discomfort at the pit of her stomach but ignores it. She can’t expect everyone to be as nice as Siobhan, especially since she’s coming to invade an already close group. They’re all wearing matching pink jackets and their fashion sense is breathtaking. Tight skirts, button up blouses and heels. They’re the kind of girls Lena reads all the time about in magazines. The ones her mom insists her not to be but she secretly wishes she had the courage to shift into. 

“Iris, are those new glasses?” Siobhan breaks Lena out of her thoughts.

“Yeah! I got them just for school. Don’t you think they make me look smart?”

“Sure, until you open your mouth.” 

“Lane… How would you like a fruit cocktail down your bra?” 

“Oh, honey.” Lucy unbuttons the first two buds of her black shirt and Lena gets red as a tomato. “Throw it my way if you dare.”

“I’ll take it!” Eve takes the small bowl out Iris hands and pops a cherry into her mouth. “Fruits are full of vitamins.”

The cafeteria door opens and Lucy rolls her eyes when she hears the voice she already has memorized. 

“If it isn’t Maggie White,” She mutters under her breath towards Iris who makes a gagging noise. “The bad seed of Rydell. Hi!” 

“Oh I just love the first day of school, don’t you?” 

Lena looks at her confused. With crooked glasses right at the top of her nose and her hair pulled into a perfect ponytail, her voice gets higher and louder as she speaks. Lena has been taught not to judge, but she can’t help the frown that comes over her features when the girl—Maggie—puts down her lunch tray on the table where they all are. She’s not going to sit with them, is she? 

“It’s the biggest thrill of my life.” Lucy’s voice drips with sarcasm and Lena wonders if perhaps Maggie doesn’t notice or she simply ignores it. 

“They just announced this year’s nominees for the student council. And guess who’s up for vice president!”

“Who?!”

“Me! Gosh, isn’t it the most to say the least?”

Iris rolls her eyes. “The very least.”

“Let’s just hope I don’t make too poor of showing.”

“How come we’re still talking about this?” 

“Oh! Oh you must think I’m the rudest and the crudest for not introducing myself to your friend.” Lena watches her with wide eyes, stops the spoonful of jello midway and stares. Eve has gotten up from her seat and put an apple on the chair behind Maggie. Nobody but Lucy and Siobhan seem to notice. “Hello, I’m Maggie White,” she smooths down her skirt and moves to sit down. “Welcome to _Ryd—Ah!_ ” 

She jumps up before her butt even touches the chair and everyone around laughs. Eve takes one half of the apple while the other lays on the seat untouched and gives it a big bite. Lena has to control her urge to laugh when Maggie takes her hand and makes her stand up to take her away from the crowd. Her hands are sweaty and she doesn’t like it, but pays it no mind. 

“I hope you’ll be at cheerleader tryouts. We’ll have so much fun and get to be lifelong friends.” Lena forces a smile. “Have you ever cheered before?”

“A little back home, I might remember a few routines.”

“Well I’ve been the cheer captain for these past three years plus an awarded gymnast. But hey!” Lena jumps. “You can’t have a pyramid without the people on the bottom. What’s your schedule?” 

Siobhan watches as Lena talks to Maggie and kicks Lucy from under the table to get her attention. 

“Girls, how do you like Lena? You think we could let her into the pink ladies?” 

Lucy diverts her gaze. Lets her eyes roam freely through Lena’s figure and licks her lips. Her outfit is hideous. 

“I don’t know… She looks too pure to be pink.”

* * *

“Hey, did y’all see that hot chick at registration?” Alex takes Kara’s water bottle from her hand and takes a sip. “There sure are some fine gals around this year.”

“You mean her jugs are bigger than Annette’s?” 

“Nobody’s jugs are bigger than Annette’s, Barry.” 

“Sue me,” Winn puts his guitar case away and climbs up to where Kara is seated. “But I want to know what Kara did down at the beach.” 

“It was nothing.”

“Sure it was nothing, Danvers.” James throws a napkin at her but the wind makes it fly away. “Come on, tell us about the girl.”

“You really don’t want to hear all the horny details, do you?” 

“Are you kidding me?!”

“Alright, alright! I’ll tell you!”

* * *

“Kara, smile!” 

“Make sure to get my left profile, it’s my best side.” 

“You dummy, come on. Big smile!” 

Kara puts her hands on her hips and smiles, behind her the sky is colored in a rich palette of orange and yellow and the sea splashes her feet making shivers run down to her ankles. Lena closes her right eye and focuses the camera on frame but just as she’s about to snap the picture, a wave surges and she barely has the time to react. She screams Kara’s name who turns around just in time to get water all over her face. She’s soaked, from head to toe. 

“You! You did it on purpose!” Kara screams when Lena runs towards her, laughing hysterically. “This is one of my favorite shirts.” 

“We’re at the beach, it’ll dry.” 

“Oh, very smart are we?”

Kara grabs Lena by the waist with a wicked smile and the brunette lets out an excited squeak. Another wave splashes and gets them to the ground. The polaroid camera hung around Lena’s neck makes a funny noise and though the camera is her dad’s, Lena doesn’t care when Kara rolls over her, getting sand all over her back. She’ll make up an excuse as to why it’s ruined later, right now all she cares about is Kara. Kara and how she looks at her as if she’s the last woman on Earth. 

Lena never believed in love at first sight. She thought it to be a foreign concept that she wouldn’t experience, but then Kara came into her life and she was crumbling down all because of one smile. She hears a car drive by quickly on the highway and her heart beats fast. She grabs Kara by the cheeks and kisses her. Her lips taste like salt and the remains of vanilla chapstick. Lena becomes a craving addict instantly.

“Kara,” she whispers, hiding her face in the crook of Kara’s neck. “What if someone sees?”

“No one is around.”

“But what if.”

Kara breaks apart to look into her eyes and smiles. 

“I will protect you.” 

“Will you?”

“Yes, always.” 

“Promise?” 

“Promise.” 

Lena closes the distance again and rejoices in the feeling of Kara’s hands holding her waist.

* * *

“I wonder how many spots they have on the squad,” Lena is wearing Rydell’s cheerleader uniform for the try outs. A short skirt that surely would cause her mother to have a heart attack, a red polo shirt with a giant R on the left side, and pompoms with matching colors. 

“I’m sure there’s plenty of room for you, candy cane.” Lucy, who is walking with Iris, hand in hand just a little ahead of them, says. Lena’s blood runs cold. 

Siobhan seems to catch the tension and soon enough she’s at Lena’s side, putting one of her hands around her shoulders: “Well I keep thinking about that boy you told us about! He sounds so nice.” 

Lena’s heart stammers inside her chest.

Boy… Of course. 

“Yeah! Real marriage material.” Eve speaks with her mouth open, chewing yet another twinkie. “Like Rock Hudson.” 

“I don’t know about that. Marriage material and he didn’t lay a hand on you? Sounds like a creep to me.” Lucy stops and turns back around to look at Lena with a quirked eyebrow. 

And maybe it’s the expression on her face or the venomous words that make Lena’s blood boil, whatever it is, it makes her lose her cool because before she can stop herself she is slipping the truth. 

“She was a proper lady!” 

_She…_ A girl. 

Great. She’s dead now. 

“Pft, then she wasn’t from around here.” Iris doesn’t even bat an eyelash. If anything her smile grows bigger. “All the Rydell students are so immature. No class.” 

“Who would’ve believed it,” Lucy chimes in, her expression is the same. There’s no judgement behind her gaze. 

“What is her name?!” Siobhan asks excitedly. 

“Wait… You… You guys don’t care?” Lena doesn’t know whether to feel relieved or confused. Back in Illinois, homosexuals were condemned. Hell, she remembers poor little Tony getting his head stuck in the toilets on an almost daily basis for saying he fancied guys more than gals. 

“Why would we?” 

“I don’t know… I just assumed,” 

“Maybe you should stop assuming.” Lucy rolls her eyes. “I told you, it goes downhill from there. Nothing surprises us anymore.”

“It’s not that big of a deal, Lena!” Siobhan pulls her closer. 

It’s as if the entire weight of the world has been lifted from Lena’s shoulders. There are tears clouding her vision but the smile that takes over her features is enough to show the pink ladies that she appreciates it. Oh, how she appreciates it. 

“Come on, tell us her name!” Siobhan insists. 

“Kara. Kara Danvers.”

They all fall silent. Siobhan loses her grip from around Lena’s figure and starts playing anxiously with her hair. Iris chokes up a laugh and Eve’s remaining twinkie falls to the floor. And maybe it’s because Lena’s still overwhelmed by the positive reaction to her admitting she likes girls, but it all goes unnoticed. Lucy takes advantage of it. 

“That’s a very nice name! And did you ever get around and ask where this Kara Danvers goes to school?” 

“She goes to a fancy boarding school. She’s an honorary student.”

“Well imagine that!” 

“I know,” Lena sighs dreamily. “It’s almost as if she was too good to be true.”

“I think she sounds peachy keen… And you never know… Maybe princess charming will show up again. Somewhere unexpected.” Lucy puts one strand of dark hair behind Lena’s ear and lowers her voice. “Knock ‘em dead.” 

Siobhan bites her lip anxiously. 

“Come on girls,” Lucy snaps her fingers and starts walking towards the steps. Iris and Eve right behind her. 

“But Luce!” Eve says through gritted teeth. 

“When the time is right…”


	2. Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _As for you Troy Donahue,_   
> _I know what you wanna do_  
>  _You got your crust,_  
>  _I'm not object of lust_  
>  _I'm just plain Sandra Dee_
> 
> _Elvis, Elvis! Let me be_   
>  _Keep that pelvis far from me_   
>  _Just keep your cool_   
>  _Now you're starting to drool..._

The sound of trumpets, drums and excited cheers fill the school’s gym, red and white flashes in form of flags and ribbons showing their Rydell pride. On the small stage, in the middle of both terraces at each side of the gymnasium, Principal Cat awaits with a controlled smile for the band to finish playing Rydell’s official anthem. Behind her, on folding chairs is her secretary Jess, some of the school teachers, and of course Coach Henshaw who bites the inside of his cheek anxiously as his team stands with full gear in the middle of the crowd.

“That’s the spirit!” Cat says raising a fist in the air, the crowd erupts in screams. “Now settle. Please everyone.” Students keep on hollering and jumping up and down ignoring the principal. She rolls her eyes. “Come on, settle! Let’s settle everyone!” 

The crowd starts to lull and the principal clears her throat to keep talking on the mic. “Now, boys and girls welcome to the Rydell Rangers pep rally!” There are more screams and whistles and gosh, her mother was right, she should’ve gone for journalism. “Settle! I won’t say it again, let’s settle.” The noise quiets again, everyone around wonders how long will it last. 

“And now, dearest students, I give you the man of the hour. The man who after seven seasons coaching the football team is uniquely qualified to pull the Rydell Rangers out of their seven seasons slump, our very own Coach Henshaw!” 

The football team claps and the gym is soon enough filled with chants. That until Cat steps away from the podium and Hank blows his whistle. 

“Who’s the best?!” He screams into the microphone. 

“Rydell,” comes as a reply from the crowd of students. 

“Give them hell Rydell.” The football team hoots. “We have a better year coming up. I’ll tell you what I told my boys: We might not have size, beat, or skill on our side but after seven years we have something even better, do you know what that is? The law of averages!” Everyone cheers except for Principal Cat who looks at the coach in disbelief.

The door of the gym opens and Lena along with Maggie and some of the other cheerleaders walk past the students to get to the middle and look for a place to seat. Lena bites her lower lip and looks around for an empty chair but comes to find nothing and sighs. She turns to the steps when suddenly someone grabs her by the hand and she flinches. 

“Sorry!” A masculine voice says and just then, Lena faces the boy. He wears a jersey with the number ten on it and has dark skin with a perfectly combed black hair. His stare is kind and he is shifting his weight from one foot to the other, clearly embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just saw you looking around and thought you might wanna sit with me?” 

Lena quirks an eyebrow. 

“I’m Jack,” the boy says, smiling at her. “Quarterback.” 

Oh, he’s on the team! 

“Lena… I’m the new kid around.”

“You’re very pretty.” He says and Lena swallows. He is handsome, sure. But she is not interested.

She’s wants to say thanks and move past him, make up an excuse to sit somewhere else, but then she remembers just how excited her mother had been when she told her last week she had been accepted on the cheer squad, the hug she had given her and the teasing about boys soon being all over her. Her father had even suggested her to find a nice young fella on the football team to marry. Just as he had done with her mother many years ago. It pains Lena, her family would never, in a million years, take anything besides perfect. And in their eyes, loving girls could never be perfect. So instead of saying no, instead of politely saying thanks and sitting next to the spot that Maggie pats on the bench, Lena put a strand of hair behind her ear. 

“You are too!” is what she says, sitting down. Jack follows. “What is he talking about?” Lena asks in a quiet voice, tilting her head towards the coach. 

“Honestly? I have no idea…”

They both giggle. 

Jack’s laugh is sincere. Lena’s is not. 

“In conclusion, I want you all to remember this,” Coach Henshaw raises his voice. “Out on that field all that matters is who wants it more. And here at Rydell we want it!” The students cheer. “We’ve never had it so we really want it. And when we finally get it we’re gonna come back here and ring that victory bell!” 

The coach points to the side of the stage where the victory bell is supposed to be. Except there is nothing there, and the students are quick to notice because no one claps, no one exclaims with enthusiasm; if anything the gym is suddenly quiet. 

Coach Henshaw turns to see what the fuss is about and taking the cap off his head he tiredly closes his eyes. “Where the hell is the bell?” 

Jess is quick to stand up and tap him on the shoulder to get his attention. She looks like an ant compared to the tall and muscular coach. 

“We think that maybe someone stole it… It’s been so long. But do go on!” 

Someone—no one catches who—laughs. 

“Go Rangers!” Coach Henshaw says with renewed ardour and everyone acclaims him. The band starts to play.

* * *

“Give your heart, give a yell. Lose it all for old Rydell!” Barry and James jump around on the back of the school, making noises that could be the sound of trumpets. 

“Hey guys,” Kara catches their attention after Barry has fallen to the ground while trying to tackle James. She’s seated on top of the hood of someone’s car with her sunglasses on and her leather jacket perfectly in place. Even without being able to look in her eyes, her friends can tell she’s not impressed. “Be cool…”

Barry stands up as fast as he can and shakes the dirt off his pants. James does the same and they freeze side to side. Barry takes his comb and starts fixing his hair while Jimmy chews a piece of mint bubblegum. 

“You heard the boss, we’re cool…”

“Alex is late, let’s go in.” James looks at Kara who shrugs in response. 

“Fellas!” Winn squeaks happily, guitar hung around his tiny frame. “I’m up to five chords, you wanna hear?”

“No.” They all say and Winn gets red. 

“Hey you guys, look! Here comes Alex!” 

The eldest of the Danvers sisters parks next to the car where Kara is and the difference is soon clear. The car that Alex is driving was once white, but now the paint is scrubbed and it’s dirty, making it appear more grey. It makes weird noises when she turns it off and worse, the smell is unbearable, like burnt oil. Still, she looks proud and when she’s parked correctly she stands up on the spent leather seats and takes her sunglasses off with a smirk. 

“So, what do y’all think?”

Kara chuckles. “What a hunk of junk.” 

“Wait ‘til I give it a paint job and swoop up the engine. She’ll run like a champ.” Kara looks at her like she’s grown three heads. 

“Really? This old piece of crap?” Barry asks with malice in his voice and it clearly doesn’t suit well with Alex who jumps easily over the car’s door and pushes him with enough force to make him trip over his own feet. 

“You’re cruisin’ for a bruisin’, Allen. Just wait and see, I’m gonna race her at Thunder Road.”

“Yeah right,” comes the mocking voice that the T-Birds know so well.

Mike Matthews and his gang, the Scorpions, walk towards them with a pretentious dance in each of their steps. There was a time, when both Danvers were freshmen, were they didn’t believe in getting into fights just for the sake of it, but one day Mike appeared in Noonan’s with his entourage of idiots, treating all the waiters like shit and slapping girl’s asses as they walked past them and that was when they knew not everyone deserved respect. Alex threw the first punch. 

That night, Eliza screamed in horror as both her daughters came home with black eyes and swollen knuckles. At least Kara had broken Mike’s nose. 

The rivalry only grew between them when in the middle of their first school year Barry, James and Winn became their friends and all together founded the T-Birds.

“You couldn’t race that thing in my grandma’s driveway.” Mike oogles the sloppy car and gives Alex a lopsided smile.

“What are you Scorpions doing here anyway?” Barry asks, quick to stand between Mike and Alex who looks like she’s about to lose it. “This is our turf.”

“Not for long if you plan on running with a piece of tin can like that.”

That’s enough for Kara. She walks past Alex and pushes Barry behind her gently. Lowers her sunglasses to look into Mike’s eyes and grits her teeth. The tension is palpable. 

“If my sister says she’ll race Thunder Road, then she will race Thunder Road.” 

Mike licks his lips. Kara resists the urge to puke. 

“You just tell me when, pretty.” Kara cracks her knuckles. “In the meantime I wouldn’t work on that thing indoors because clearly the fumes already getting to ya’ heads.”

The Scorpions bicker and Kara surges forward to punch Mike in the face but James grabs her before she can do anything. They cannot start a fight in the school’s backyard. Miss Grant has eyes everywhere (nobody knows how she does it) and they can’t risk being seen and getting in trouble. Their reputation is bad enough already. Mike and his gang run to the other side, making faces and raising middle fingers at the T-Birds as they get lost down the street, James doesn’t let Kara go until they’re far away enough.

“You should’ve let me teach him a lesson!” Kara fixes her jacket with an annoyed huff. 

“Later we’ll have the time. Let’s go in; I wanna check this year’s new set of pompons.” Barry grins. 

“They’re all the same.” James makes a face.

“Not when you shake ‘em.” 

Alex gives him a playful smack on the head and they all laugh. They can hear the band when they open the door to the school.

* * *

“Lena!” Siobhan waves her hand after the cheerleaders are done with their routine and the crowd starts to dissipate to go around and buy popcorn or hot dogs. “You were terrific out there! Maggie was biting her nails the entire time. I think she’s worried you might steal her place as cheer captain.”

“Oh don’t be silly.” Lena smiles, feeling comforted at the presence of the Pink Ladies. It means she doesn’t have to deal with Jack any longer. “I was so nervous I messed the split up.” 

“Nonsense, you were perfect. Hey listen! I’m having a sleepover at my place tonight, you wanna come?” 

“I’d love to! Except I’d have to—”

“What?” Lucy interrupts but she’s not even looking at Lena. She is too busy fixing her nails. “Your folks don’t let you?”

“They are pretty strict.” 

“It’s not like there are going to be boys or anything,” Eve chimes in, handing the magazine she was just reading to Iris. 

“It’s going be to be…” Iris presses her lips together, thinking of a proper way to put it. “A… Kind of initiation.” 

Siobhan looks at Lena with a gleam in her eyes. 

“You mean to be a Pink Lady?!” She asks with hope in her stare. She’s never been part of something before and the prospect fills her with joy. 

“We’ll see…” Lucy shrugs.

“Okay then I’ll figure something out! What time should I get there?”

“Eight thirty, maybe?” 

“Or is that past your bedtime?” Lucy finally looks at her. 

“No, on Fridays it isn’t until ten!” 

Iris has to bite her tongue as she watches Lena and Siobhan walk away to grab Lena’s bag and pompoms.

“You know I’m still not sure about this.”

“Mhm… You’re just sure about Kara.”

“Kara?” 

Lucy looks where Iris’ eyes divert to. The T-Birds just entered the gymnasium, laughing amongst themselves and pushing each other as children. She bites her lower lip. 

“As a matter of fact… Hey Lena!” Her voice drips with sweetness as Lena walks towards her. “I have a surprise for you.” 

“Luce, what are you doing?” Eve says alarmed, almost choking on her twinkie.

“Well the time is right… Follow me.” 

Lena turns her gaze towards Siobhan who seems to be distressed. This is not going to end up well. Still, the Pink Ladies follow through. 

“I am telling you guys, if we fix up that car it could be make out city.” Alex is the first to notice Lucy. She fixes her hair. “Hey Luce.”

Lucy isn’t planning on paying attention to Alex, she’s come here for a reason, but when she sees her, her mouth goes dry. Perhaps is how the leather jacket hugs her biceps, or the tight jeans showing off the muscles on her legs, or that the short hair is a clear improvement from the messy mane she had last year. Whatever it is, she is perplexed. Alexandra Danvers got hot over the summer. 

_Shit._

“Hey Alex.”

“You’re uh,” Alex coughs. Is she blushing? She thinks she might be blushing. “You’re looking good.” 

“Thanks Danvers… You don’t look so bad yourself.” 

Kara looks between the two of them. Not sure if she’s disgusted or amused. 

“What do you want, Luce?” The youngest Danvers asks, breaking Lucy away from her stupor. 

“Right.” Her usual smirk returns. “I have a surprise for you.” 

“You do?” 

“I do. Follow me.” 

The T-Birds go along, messing around and making Kara barely aware of the presence of the other ladies, that until Lucy pushes someone towards her.

That someone being Lena Luthor. 

Her heart thumps like crazy inside of her chest.

“Lena?!”

“Kara?!” 

“What… What are you doing here? I thought you had to go back to Utah.” Kara can’t help it. She grabs her by the arms to pull her close, she wants to confirm that this is true, that it is not a dream. And when she hears Lena’s breathing, soft and gentle, when she catches a sweep of her coconut perfume, she knows it’s real. She is here. And she’s looking as gorgeous as always. 

“We had a change of plans.” Lena holds tight onto her. Tears of joy almost rolling down her cheeks. 

She is here. Kara is here. 

Wait.

What is Kara doing here? 

“What happened to your boarding school?” Lena asks. 

“My boarding…? Oh, no! I just didn’t want you to think that I was…” Kara can’t finish the sentence. She can feel her friends looking at her intensely, as if they want to ask who is this chick and why the hell is she acting so unlike herself. She remembers it all like a kick in the gut. She’s not the person she showed Lena she was. Here at Rydell Kara has a reputation to uphold. She’s part of a gang, a free soul. 

A player.

She lets Lena go. Steps away and scratches the back of her neck. “I just didn’t want no ties, you know what I’m saying? I mean you know how it is. Rockin’ and rollin’ and what not.” Lena’s confused look makes her almost drop the act.

Almost. 

“Kara?”

“That’s my name, don’t wear it out.” 

“What’s the matter with you?” Her voice quivers. Kara hates it. 

“What’s the matter with me, baby? What’s the matter with _you_?”

The T-Birds chuckle. 

“What happened to the Kara Danvers I met at the beach?!” 

“I don’t know… Maybe there’s two of us!” She locks eyes with Alex and her sister jokingly sticks her tongue at her. “Why don’t you put up a missing person ad or try the yellow pages? I don’t know.” 

Lena’s tears of joy are quickly replaced by tears of anger, tears of sorrow. Siobhan wants to step forward and say that it’s enough, even Iris and Eve have started to look worried about the whole situation. It was just meant to be a stupid prank. 

“You lied to me.” It’s a clear statement and Kara has to dig her own fingernails into the palm of her hand to stop herself from saying something else that might ruin things even more. “You’re a fake and a phony and I wish I had never laid eyes on you!” Lena throws her pompoms at her and it hurts Kara, it hurts her so bad. Yet she can’t do anything but to watch as the brunette runs off crying, quickly followed by Siobhan. 

She’s an idiot. 

“Congratulations, Danvers.” Lucy says and Kara isn’t sure if she’s upset or heartbroken. “Let’s go girls.” 

“Hey Danvers? You didn’t have to go so hard.” Iris picks up the pompoms from the floor, is hard for Kara to hear her over the hollers on the gym and her friends being obnoxious. But she catches it and it only makes it worst. 

“Come on, Kara! I stole my cousin’s ID.” Winn screams.

She sees Lena, hugged tightly by Siobhan on one of the far corners of the gym. She will never forgive herself for this. 

“Lena, please. It’s not as bad as all that!” Siobhan runs her fingers through Lena’s tresses trying to calm her down. So far it isn’t working. 

“Yes it is.” 

Siobhan sees as Kara and the T-Birds leave the gym and she breaks away from the embrace in which she’s securely holding Lena and makes her look into her eyes. 

“Girls like Kara are rats! Worst, they’re fleas on rats.” A smile tugs at the corner of Lena’s lips. “They’re mites on fleas on rats!” That gets Lena to laugh and Siobhan wipes away her tears softly. “They’re too low for even dogs to bite… The only person a girl can depend on is her daddy.”

“Yeah… I guess that makes sense.” 

“You want me to give you a ride home? That way we can ask your parents for permission for the sleepover tonight.”

“Would you do it, really?”

“Of course I would, sweetheart. That’s what friends are for.” 

Friends. 

Lena feels better.

* * *

_Ipana presents…_

Eve jumps to the middle of Siobhan’s room and Lena who seconds before was distracted puts all her attention in Eve’s excited little hops. 

_Bucky Beaver: Space guard!_

“Brush-a-brush-a-brush-a. Get the new Ipana,” Eve starts singing along with the television, moving her finger to simulate a toothbrush all the while making funny faces. Lena laughs. “With a brand new flavor, it’s dandy for your teeth.” Lucy throws a pillow at her face. 

“Ouch, my toes!” Lena jerks away from Siobhan when the pliers accidentally sink into the side of her toenail. 

“Sorry sweetie! Wait, I have cutex.” 

Eve turns off the tv and gives Lena a soft palm on the shoulder. “You had a rough day.”

“That Kara Danvers has some nerve,” Iris says from the other side of the room where she’s looking at herself in the mirror, fixing her lipgloss. “She’s so terribly immature.” 

Lena shrugs. “She was just so different at the beach.”

“Yeah… That’s why I prefer a more worldly kind of guy…” She stands up, bends over to her backpack and takes out a beautiful red robe, a dragon printed on its back in gold and green. Lena’s mouth falls open. “You’ll have to excuse me, I’m feeling a teeny bit cold.” 

“Gee, where did you get that?!” Lucy gets closer to her, feeling the material slip on her fingertips. Iris smiles proudly. 

“Freddy, from Korea.” 

“Oh yeah, you’ve done it with a korean?” Eve thrusts her pelvis into the air and Iris hits her in the belly.

“No dummy! He’s a marine.” Iris grabs her wallet from one of the small zippers on her bag. “Wanna see a picture?” 

Everyone, including Lena smile excitedly and gather around, cheek to cheek on Siobhan’s bed. When Iris lets all the pictures she keeps fall free, they gasp. There’s at least twenty pictures, all in black and white of men from around her twenties wearing US marines uniforms. Some of them are looking into the camera, smiling all chivalrous. There are others who look more tough, the kind of guys one would find rescuing children from burning buildings. 

“Who are all of these guys?!” Eve looks at all the pictures with wide eyes.

“Just some of my correspondence.” 

“Iris here’s a one woman USO.” Lucy smacks her playfully.

“Here… No wait. That’s Sammy.” She scatters around. “That’s Bobby.” A little more. “There he is!” 

“Why is it torn in half?”

“His old girlfriend was in the picture.” She folds all pictures carefully into place and then drops it inside of her bag. “I also got a perfume. And a bracelet too!” 

“How come he sends so many presents?!” Eve tries to reach for the photographs again but Iris doesn’t let her.

“You see, I’m a terrific pen pal. I write a letter, and he sends a present.”

“Do you write like… Erotic poetry or something?” 

“Of course not. Men are easy, girls. All you have to tell them is how much you miss them. How you’re dying without them at your side and that as soon as they’re back from their service, you’ll be there, waiting with your bridal bouquet. _Et voilá._ You get everything you want and more.”

Eve scrunches up her nose. “All that for a kimono?” 

“You don’t understand love.” 

“Oh gosh, this nail polisher ever sure smells. It stings too.” Lena blows some air into her toes and instantly Siobhan’s face pales. 

“It does?! Oh fudge, I got mixed up that’s not cutex is merthiolate.” 

She jumps out the bed, grabs a kleenex and kneels in front of Lena to wipe it off as carefully as her shaky hands allow her to. Lucy laughs to herself. 

“You would make a terrible pharmacist,” Eve tells her. 

“I’m so sorry Lena, it’s just… I have so much on my mind these days.” 

“Like what?” 

Siobhan hesitates. “Okay but swear on your Pink Lady pinkies you won’t tell anyone.”

“Pink Lady swear!” The girls cross their heart with the pinky finger from their right hand and then show it to Siobhan. Lena isn’t sure what to do so she limits herself to offer an assuring smile. 

“I feel like… Rydell’s a dead end for me. Like all that education is just holding me back. I’ve had enough of Emily Dickinson…”

“She’s that sophomore?!” Iris asks scandalized at the mention of the name. Siobhan ignores her. 

“I feel like I’m not living up to my full potential, you know? I want to do something to really make a difference in the world! So I applied to beauty school.” 

“Wait, you’re dropping out of Rydell?”

“I don’t look at it as dropping out! I look at it as a very strategic career move.” She stands up, fixes her hair and strikes a pose. “Say hello to a future graduate from Lacafaery beauty academy.” 

“I think you should do whatever you want to do and if this makes you happy, go for it.” Lucy tells her with an expression that Lena has never seen before, something between support and adoration. It makes her feel warm all over. “And just before I forget!” The brunette stands up, goes over to her things and from a brown paper bag she takes out an immaculate wine bottle that make all the girls scream gleeful. 

Lena anxiously looks at her toes. 

“How about a little toast to get this party going?” 

Eve grabs the bottle first and sighs dreamily. 

“Italian récolte. Wow, it’s imported…” Iris takes it away from her hands. “Who wants a twinkie?!”

“Twinkies and wine? That’s real classy, Eve.”

“It says right on the label that it’s a dessert wine.”

“Don’t be rude, girls.” Lucy takes it again before Iris can pop the tap off. She goes over to where Lena is seated and gets the bottle close to her face. “Don’t forget about our guest.” 

“Oh, I’m okay thanks.”

“What, you don’t drink?”

“I had some sparkling cider at my cousin’s wedding once.”

“Well ring-a-ding ding.” Iris and Eve look at each other and giggle. “I bet you don’t smoke either.” 

Lena shakes her head.

“How about at least you let me pierce your ears?” Siobhan grabs Lena’s face with both hands and raises it only to be able to see her better. “It’ll be good practice!”

“Practice?” Lena says clearly nervous. 

“What’s the matter, you afraid?” Lucy raises an eyebrow. Lena doesn’t want to appear uncool in front of her. She doesn’t know why but she feels the need to impress Lucy, she desperately wants her to like her. So she ends up shaking her head again and she knows she’s in for a wild night and that she’ll regret this in less than ten minutes. 

“Do you want to use my virgin pin?” Iris says reaching for it and then giving it to Siobhan. “At least it’ll be good for something.”

“You know Siobhan, actually I don’t think this is a good idea.” Lena mumbles when she sees the needle getting closer to her face. “My father won’t like it at all and—Ouch!” 

Lena’s scream make Siobhan stop in her tracks. “Eh, why don’t we go into the bathroom?” She helps her stand up. “My mother will kill me if I get blood all over the carpet.” 

“Blood?!”

“It only bleeds for a second!” 

“Siobhan,” Lena puts the palm of her hand against the cold wood of the bathroom door and looks at the taller girl before stepping inside. “I don’t feel so good.”

“Don’t worry, Lena. If she screws up she can always… Fix your hair so your ears don’t show.” 

Lena steps into the bathroom, her stomach all in knots.

“Would one of you please go and get me some ice from the kitchen to numb her ear lobes?” 

“Why don’t you run some cold water and stick her head under the faucet?” Iris suggests and Siobhan takes it as a good advice. Lucy hears the door closing and she lets herself fall into the bed, right next to Iris who after taking a large sip of wine, passes it onto her. 

“Hey guys, I heard Winn said that the T-Birds might swing by later.” 

“What?” Iris looks perplexed and maybe it’s because she sits up too fast or because she’s a lightweight but the room spins. “How do they even know we’re here?” There’s a pause. “Did you tell them we’re having a sleepover, Luce?”

“Well, Alex might ask what I was up to…”

“Yeah? Since when do you have the hots for Alex?” 

“Sweet, sweet Iris… Sometimes you want a girl who is willing to put up or shut up.” 

Their laughs get interrupted by the bathroom door opening and Siobhan coming out breathing heavy. 

“Lena’s sick! I did one ear, she saw the blood and _blargh_!” She searches in Lena’s backpack for her toothbrush and when she finally finds it her shoulders slump. “You guys think I oughta call her folks?” 

“What did I tell you guys? Forget pink. She can’t even handle white.”

“Hey Lena!” Siobhan knocks gently on the door and waits until it opens to extend the baby blue colored toothbrush to her. “Here you go.”

“Thanks so much Siobhan. I’m sorry to be such a bother.”

The door closes again and Lucy crosses her arms with an annoyed expression. It’s irrational to dislike someone when you barely know them. She has reasons to dislike Maggie White (she’s ignorant, annoying and believes herself to be above everyone else on the school), she has a reason to dislike her father (he’s always screaming, leaving for months and cheating on her mother with other women), she has a reason to dislike Lois (she’s perfect, the epitome of the daughter she couldn’t nor can be). But Lena… She has no real reason dislike Lena. She’s the new kid around who happened to stumble into their group, and her fashion sense sure isn’t a valid reason to hate on her, but Lucy does. Lucy doesn’t enjoy her presence, doesn’t enjoy that she gets so much of Siobhan’s attention. Doesn’t enjoy that she’s come to ruin their routine.

She knows it’s wrong. But can’t help to grab one of the wigs Siobhan has on her bedside table. A long, wavy black wig that looks exactly like Lena’s hair and puts it on. Glances at herself in the mirror and sits down with crossed legs in front of the girls who watch her with confusion all on the bed, sharing the bottle of wine. 

“I don’t know girls,” she speaks in a much higher voice, imitating the slight accent that Lena has sometimes. “I feel like drinking is not good, you should be ashamed of yourselves! I, myself, don’t do it. I don’t swear or fix my hair, either. I get ill off of one cigarette!” 

Iris catches the drill and she goes over to her after taking a sip of courage. 

“Oh my. If it isn’t Lena Luthor!” Iris says in a deep voice and Eve laughs. “You’re so pretty. What do you say if I take you for a ride on my car?”

“How dare you suggest that!” Lucy dramatically puts one of her hands on her forehead and closes her eyes, faking an offended moan. “I won’t go to bed with anyone until I am legally wed!” 

Eve is the next to join. She gets on her knees in front of Lucy and hugs her thighs. “Please! You’re breaking my heart. Just like Doris Day broke Rock Hudson’s!” 

“Keep your filthy paws off my silky drawers!” Lucy shakes her ass and Eve falls into the ground laughing. “If you wanna pull that crap do it with Annette!” 

“Come on!” Siobhan joins at last. Getting close to Lucy and putting her lips up in a kissy face. “At least one kiss!” 

“No, no sir! I cannot. I am no object of lust! I am just boring, ol’ plain Lena Luthor.” They all laugh and Lucy takes the chance to smooch Siobhan making Eve and Iris hoot. “Oh please, let me be!” She throws herself into the bed and all the girls surround her, grabbing her feet and tickling her. “You’re drooling all over my sacred toes, surely somewhere on the Bible that’s a sin.” 

When Lena comes out of the bathroom, after puking all her lunch and making sure there isn’t a hole on her ears, she’s surprised to find everyone screaming with laughter, Lucy on the bed with her eyes closed and a pained expression on her face. Her eyes are closed and she’s wearing a wig. 

And then she hears it: “Please be cool with me! I’m Lena Luthor!” And it feels like a bucket full of cold water had just fallen on her head. 

“You’re making fun of me, Luce?” 

Lucy sits up and clears her throat. She takes the wig off and fixes her hair. She prays to whoever exists in Heaven that she didn’t hear the whole thing. 

“Some people are so touchy.”

Saved by the bell, just as Lena is about to open her mouth again a car horn makes all the girls jump. 

“So? Are you gonna talk to her or what?” Alex asks her sister who is next to her on the car. James, Winn and Barry on the backseat. 

“I changed my mind. I don’t wanna be here, let’s motor,” Kara says, still blue from earlier. She is such an idiot! 

“Barry, you do it.” 

“O Lena, Lena! Wherefore art thou Lena!” He screams and Kara feels the urge to die on the spot.

“Could someone please tell them to shut up?!” Siobhan says, with the ear against her bedroom door. “If my folks hear them, they’ll kill me.” 

Lucy opens the window, catches a glimpse of Alex smiling at her and she smiles back. There’s a full moon on the sky that makes her auburn hair look deliciously inviting.

“What’s up, Alex?”

“One guess.”

“You’ve got lots to offer a girl?” 

“You bet, baby!” 

“Well get rid of your pals and I’ll be right there!” Lucy bites her lip. “That includes you too, Kara.” 

“Good.” Kara raises her head. “‘Cause sloppy seconds ain’t my style.” Lucy’s smirk vanishes and for a second she feels better. “Have fun, Alex. Let’s go guys.”

Lucy waits, sees as the other T-Birds disappear in the middle of the night and then Alex, watching her with her chest heaving. That’s enough for her. She grabs her shoes and looks at herself in the mirror, ignoring Siobhan’s concerned look. She’s done this many times. That her friends still worry about it is ridiculous (and although she’ll never admit it out loud: Endearing). 

“You goodie goods are too much for me. I’m gonna get my fun going. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“What the hell is she gonna do?!” Siobhan makes a gesture and Eve is quick to stick her head outside the window to make sure Lucy doesn’t break her neck. “Shimmy down the drain pipe?!” 

“That’s exactly what she’s doing.” Eve waits. Sees her get into Alex’s horrible car and then closes the window. “She’s gone.” 

“Well… It’s ten. Seventy-seven sunset street is on. You wanna watch it on my folks’ tv? It’s twenty inches.”

“Twenty inches? Yeah girl, I’m there.” 

Eve grabs the bottle of wine and Iris groans when she sees her also grab a package of twinkies. The footsteps are heard going down the stairs but Siobhan doesn’t move, she sees Lena, looking at the window, longing for someone Siobhan knows won’t come up climbing. She wants to hug her, tell her it’ll be alright but that’d be lying and she’s never been good at it.

“Are you coming, Lena?” She whispers to break her out of trance and when she looks back at her she’s smiling but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll make you some tea if you want some.”

“I’ll be there in a minute, go ahead.” 

Siobhan nods, closing the door behind her, and, as Lena hears the footsteps getting away, she stands up from the bed and walks towards the boudoir. She looks at herself in the mirror. Lena’s never been self conscious of her appearance, but now she’s hanging out with girls who on their worst days look even better than she does on her best ones and hell if that doesn’t mess her up. Eve, Iris, Lucy and Siobhan are all so beautiful, walking around the school like they are goddesses honoring mortals with their presence. Next to them and their high heels, stylish hair and tight skirts, Lena feels… Insignificant. 

She sighs. Catches Iris’ red lipstick lying next to the expensive perfume Freddy (or was it Bobby?) gifted her and hesitates. Maybe she should ask first. But, if she asks, then she’ll give herself away and she cannot have that. She grabs it and looks at her reflection as she puts in on her lips. The color is vibrant and it enhances her full lips. As she watches herself she smiles, thinks of what it’d feel to be one of those girls. Girls like Lucy. Who doesn’t care what anybody else have to say about them, who aren’t afraid of escaping in the middle of the night to be with another girl, who live their lives just the way the want to live it. With nobody telling them what to do, who to be. 

Reality comes kicking in. She _can’t_ be one of those girls. She can’t because she’s a Luthor, the daughter of two outstanding citizens. She can’t disobey them, she can’t fail. And most importantly: She can’t be one of those girls. The ones who her mother stares at disapprovingly on the streets, the ones who her father says will never get to be anything in life, the ones her family, for whatever reason, despise so much. 

Lena grabs a kleenex from Siobhan’s drawer and wipes the color off her lips so hard it hurts her. And there in the mirror, her self stares back, suffering and helpless, and Lena wants to cry. It’s for the best. She repeats it over and over again until she believes it. 

She’s no object of lust.

She’s just plain Lena Luthor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who showed support either by leaving kudos and/or commenting. This is my very first multichapter work and to say I'm not nervous would be lying, but I appreciate every little thing you guys leave my way! Thanks so much, it makes me excited to keep writing! I'll try and update weekly, though I make no promises, it all depends on my mood and inspiration, also school, however I don't plan to leave this work hanging, so you're more than encouraged to remind me about it and ask me questions in here or tumblr! 
> 
> Go show [Megan](https://calmorrison.tumblr.com) some love since she took the time to beta this.  
> You can also find me [on tumblr.](https://carlyraesjepsen.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! First of all let me say thank you for giving this a try, it's the very first multichapter fic I've written and I'm super nervous. I'd like to give a quick shoutout to Dani who took the time to beta this and hyped it up! Go and show [them](https://karadabvers.tumblr.com/) all your love. 
> 
> Now, really quickly I want to say that this fic, as all of you can already tell, takes place in 1959, which wasn't the best time for LGBT+ people, POCs or women in general. After giving it a lot of thought, I've decided to keep all these issues to a bare minimum mainly because I don't want anyone to feel triggered by language or large depictions of homophobia/misogyny/etc. Not to mention I do not feel myself to be qualified enough to talk about this issues and I don't want to offend any of you. I will try and keep this fic as lighthearted as possible!
> 
> Thanks a lot! I will try and update this as soon as I can. 
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr.](https://carlyraesjepsen.tumblr.com/)


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